Hawksworth began the day on pole within the No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3, however the day shortly derailed after he was penalized and despatched to the rear of the sector for inadvertently putting a crew member throughout his first pit cease.
Though the setback was important, the three drivers have been in a position to methodically march ahead. Hawksworth was handed the keys — and a chance for redemption — for the ultimate stint.
The twelfth and remaining warning of IMSA’s once-around-the-clock endurance traditional featured an intense battle develop between race chief Daniel Serra in Risi Competizione’s Ferrari 296 GT3, Hawksworth, and the No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R of Daniel Juncadella. Hawksworth and Juncadella went forwards and backwards for second earlier than the previous squeezed by and set sights on Serra.
With 20 minutes remaining, Hawksworth and Serra tangled in a livid battle across the 3.74-mile, 17-turn circuit that featured loads of gritty contact earlier than the Lexus pulled off a daring transfer down the within of the Ferrari into Flip 1 and rating a 0.121s victory.
“Yeah, it was. We knew it was going to be a battle,” Hawksworth stated.
“These lengthy races, you need to do all the pieces completely. Everybody has to do their job completely completely simply to be there to also have a probability on the finish. Then you definitely simply hope that the playing cards fall your manner. We had a troublesome day. However the workforce, we made good steps over the low season. We needed to come back and present what we may do, proper? This has been a correct bounce again.
“(Saturday) everybody was good. We had the one clearly drive-through early within the race, a wobble there. Apart from that, it was rock strong all day. The fellows on pit lane have been unbelievable all day. Ben and Kyle have been absolute monsters on the market. Yeah, we ended up within the battle there on the finish. Come out on prime. I could not be prouder of everyone. Yeah, the final 4 hours on the market have been completely nuts.”
The victory was the primary for the workforce since Watkins Glen final July, and the second endurance racing victory for Lexus. For Barnicoat and Hawksworth, the defending GTD Professional champions, this consequence made it podium finishes in 14 of 17 races courting again Lime Rock Park in July 2022.
Whereas it additionally was a step after final yr’s powerful runner-up consequence at Sebring, the outing supplied a lift after struggling an early retirement to start out the season within the Daytona 24 Hours in January.
“Yeah, it is large,” Barnicoat stated. “Clearly large for the group. All of the Lexus racing guys have been grinding, working so laborious, searching for perfection yr in, yr out. I have been fortunate to step in this system satellite tv for pc such time.
“First yr obtained Atlanta, Petit Le Mans win, which was extremely large. Final yr we gained Watkins Glen and the championship. Now we ticked off Sebring. Simply obtained Daytona left to go.
“We had an actual tough begin to this season, however that efficiency (Saturday) confirmed why we have been champions final yr. That was positively a champion’s comeback and obtained our season properly and really again on observe. We’re trying ahead to going from right here.”
Becoming a member of Vasser Sullivan and Risi Competizione on the rostrum was the Iron Lynx group within the No. 19 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2.
Though Juncadella appeared poised for the rostrum however was knocked out of the race by AO Racing’s Laurens Heinrich within the No. 77 Porsche 911 GT3 R, who was fell from rivalry after receiving a drive by way of penalty for his half within the incident.
Whereas there have been loads of harm emotions after the checkered flag, Hawksworth supplied his tackle the physicality of the race.
“I imply, all the pieces appeared all proper after the race,” Hawksworth stated.
“It’s what it’s. It is laborious racing on the finish of the race. You are racing for the Twelve Hours of Sebring. On the finish of the day, we’re racing to win. Nothing past the road, if that is sensible. It was tough, laborious racing. I obtained roughed round a bit, misplaced positions. Different instances I gained positions.
“Yeah, that is IMSA racing. It is hard-fought. There is a little bit of garbage racing, proper? That is what we do over right here. We come out on prime. If individuals need to cry, they will.”
Watch: BrrrakeF1 – Underneath the Pores and skin of Endurance Racing’s Superior Tech
